


Doctor Strange: Multitasker

by zenkitty555



Series: Doctor Strange and the Fall of Magic [4]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Doctor Strange (2016) Spoilers, Kamar-Taj, M/M, Magic, Post-Doctor Strange (2016), Sorcerer Supreme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-23 10:10:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9651239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenkitty555/pseuds/zenkitty555
Summary: With magic on the mends, Stephen has to face the new challenge of defining his role as the Sorcerer Supreme. In the process he finds it hard to keep a balance between his desires and his obligations.





	1. Chapter 1

The natural world tended to be cyclical, and eventually their own world returned to one that had enough magic to function. Stephen thought he would be glad to see that day come, where things got back to relative normality, but he wasn’t. It had just brought more complications and problems into their world.

It was partially because he always assumed that he would have Karl by his side, and then when it was decided that Karl was needed elsewhere, it was a shock to him. He had never really thought about what role Karl would play in the future. However, both Wong and Karl insisted that Karl was the best man to oversee the training at Kamar-Taj. They needed new sorcerers, as their numbers had diminished to an appallingly low amount after the Empirikul. Stephen was unable to take on the role of the Ancient One. His own abilities, although stronger than before, were still not strong enough. He also selfishly wanted to stay in the city he had called home for so long. Karl on the other hand, had no desire to remain in a city of subways, in an area infested by university students. He often complained about the noise on the weekends, as the windows were too thin to block out the sounds of groups passing by. Stephen could tell he missed the tranquility of Kamar-Taj, where the nights were always peaceful, unlike the outside of the New York Sanctum. 

Stephen sat in his chair as Wong let himself out. Karl sat down across from him, looking at him with a cross expression on his face. 

“Sometimes you are so childish. You know this is the next step in returning to the world that we knew. It’s not like I am going away forever, and the door to Kamar-Taj is right down the hall. Stop sulking.”

“I’m not sulking.”

“You’re right. It’s more like blatant self-pity. Do you think I want to be your servant? If you insist I stay here, that is what I would be degraded to.”

There were so many things that Stephen objected to in that statement, but he couldn’t say them. It was how Karl felt, even if he didn't think he should feel that way. He closed his mouth and furrowed his brow. He knew Karl had a point, it wasn’t like they would never see each other, but it wouldn’t be as easy as it was now. Was this the price he would have to pay for the last few years of comfort? 

“When will you leave?”

“It’s best to start right away. Tomorrow I will leave to organize the recruiting process. I have to find some of the practitioners that we had been training when the Empirikul came. The ones that have survived anyways,” Karl said quietly. 

It started like that, with Karl going back and forth the first week. It was bearable, but mostly because Stephen was distracted by a new problem brought to his attention by Tony Stark of all people. The first time he had met Tony Stark years ago, they had worked together on a small, minor issue involving demonic possession. 

“So, like I was saying Doc,” Stark rambled, “You got one, Thor took one, and Vision’s got one, so where are the rest?” 

He looked at the man. How the hell was he supposed to know where the stones were? Stephen had been busy saving magic for the past few years. It wasn’t like it was something they could keep track of easily in a book.

“I understand your frustration, but I can only locate them if I know what galaxy or dimension they are in. With all the complications in the last few years, it hasn’t been anyone’s priority to find them.”

In all honesty it wouldn’t be worth the effort to track them down. He kept his stone safe, and would protect it with his life if it came to that.

The door opened and Karl strolled in. Stark turned to look at him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had guests,” Karl apologized. 

“Mr. Stark, this is Master Mordo. Mr.Stark was asking about the Infinity Stones,” Stephen explained.

Karl narrowed his eyes at Stark.

“I was just explaining about how we don’t keep track of where they are.”

“It has been agreed upon by various entities that there shall never be two stones in the same Galaxy. If you know of more than two, you shall report it immediately to the Sorcerer Supreme,” Karl said.

Stephen knew the warning tone was to discourage Stark from asking too many questions. Karl probably assumed that Stark was hoping to harness their power, when he was just alerting Stephen to the next threat. Although Stephen was happy that magic was back, he was not glad that he had to deal with these kinds of issues. He also worried that magic was not yet strong enough to be of full use against any powerful entities in their dimension. 

“I’m just passing on the message Thor gave me,” Stark replied, getting up.

Stephen rubbed his chin. It was a disturbing report. Stephen rang the bell for Zelma to come and show Stark the door. She had recently been promoted to from intern-librarian to paid assistant, after Stephen decided that it was unbecoming for the Sorcerer Supreme to be answering his own door. Stark left, leaving Karl and him to talk.

“So classes start tomorrow?” Stephen asked.

Karl looked tired. It seemed that his body had started to adjust to the time difference, as it was night in Nepal, almost a full 11 hours ahead of New York.  

“I hope he is not looking for those stones.”

“He’s not. Someone else is, and from the sounds of it, they're intending to use them,” Stephen replied.

“Do they know who?” 

Stephen shook his head. It was a game of wait and see. 

“Everything is such a mess,” Stephen grumbled. 

“You should see Kamar-Taj.”

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”

Karl nodded.

“Everyone who knew what it was like before understands where we are now. Any new trainees will be ignorant to how things once were,” Karl replied.

Stephen got up from his chair, walked over to Karl, and placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. Karl placed his hand on top of Stephen's.  

“You should go to bed, you have a busy day tomorrow.”

Karl looked up at him. 

“Do you want to take a late lunch?”

They didn't really have a lunch time. It was more of a hint to send Zelma on some farcical errand, so that Karl would not be paranoid about her hearing them have sex. Stephen would have to agree with him on that point, as it would make for an awkward afternoon. Although he occasionally fantasized about such scandalous things, he knew that reality was very different from fantasy.

“I will meet you upstairs when I can.”

It took about five minutes to send the girl to some shop all the way in Queens. He needed a book, and he was too lazy to actually call up the shop to order it. It wasn't

anything work related, but she didn’t need to know that. Stephen tried not to seem too eager, so he waited a full extra five minutes before going to his bedroom. Karl came out of the bathroom wearing nothing. Looking at his partner, Stephen quickly disposed of his own clothing. 

“It’s been too long,” Stephen growled. 

“It’s only been six days. We have gone through longer periods of abstinence.”

It was true, but it had felt much longer to Stephen. The lack of company at night made the days seem that much longer. It was hard to sleep, and the minutes seem to drag by. He even missed those first few months of constant discussions, despite the fact that they did argue most of the time. 

He pressed against Karl and ran his hands over Karl's firm behind. They kissed with Stephen hungrily exploring Karl's mouth, as his hands moved from Karl’s backside to his front side. He brought his hands up, placing them on the other man’s chest. Karl pulled him tightly, pinning Stephen’s arms against his chest.

“Stop fidgeting. Do you want this to be over before it starts?” 

There was an edge to Karl’s chastisement. It turned him on more. He liked these pure moments of unfiltered, physical honesty. His partner had a very different style from himself, refusing to give into Stephen’s whims most of the time. Karl liked to draw out as much pleasure as he could. He was almost technical, but never completely predictable. His moods tended to dictate what they would be doing and where they would do it, but whatever it was, his actions were almost never frenzied. It was the one consistent in their relationship. Karl would take his time, but Stephen couldn’t wait. Very rarely Stephen was able set the pace. He liked that Karl would occasionally indulged him in his greediness, making those moments even more delicious. It was a battle of wills at times, a delightful push and pull of egos.

Stephen pushed himself so that they both toppled over onto the bed, and then he freed himself from Karl's grasp, straddling him, his cock fully erect. 

“I need you now.”

Karl’s expression was hard to read. He nudged Stephen aside, reaching for the side table drawer. He got off the bed, and Stephen watched him. His eyes traced the man’s frame as he came before Stephen. His skin was positively glowing from the day's sunlight hitting him. They had never actually done it before in the middle of the day, as they were normally working on various projects. It was a real treat to see this glorious image. 

“Fine, I will give you what you want.”

Karl arranged him so that he could prepare Stephen while kissing him. His legs were folded back, and it put a very satisfying pressure on the rest of his frame. When their kiss broke, Karl pulled away a little to look at him, taking in the full image.

“God. I love it when you do this. Your fingers feel amazing when you stretch me, and when...”

Stephen groaned before he could finish his thought, as Karl slightly curled his fingers to hit his prostate. 

“Just like that. Perfect. I dream about these moments.”

Karl removed his fingers, and positioned himself before slowly pushing in.

“Fuck me. Don't hold back at all. I want to walk around feeling sore all day,” Stephen encouraged.

Karl took a moment, disregarding Stephen’s babble. Then he started to move, and he gave in to Stephen’s wants. It was bliss as he found a quick tempo, but also managed to push in deeply with some force. Stephen continued to praise him with little encouragements, until Karl surprisingly put his hand over Stephen’s mouth.

“Strange,” He growled, “Be quiet. You sound like some uncouth tart!” 

He nearly went over the edge at that. Sometimes, when Karl lacked full concentration, his choices in words were unconventional. On the rare occasions, he would slip into his mother tongue, but those times tended to be when Stephen was fucking him. It was a huge turn on, even if he couldn’t understand a word of it. 

Karl’s hand continued to rest on his mouth as he fucked him without restraint. Stephen looked up at Karl's face, scrunched up in concentration, and knew his partner was trying to stave off his orgasm. Stephen’s hand snaked through the tangle of their arms and his legs, stroking himself a few times before he came. Sweat seemed to pour off Karl from all of his exertions, and he finally came with a groan. 

When they managed to untangle themselves, they lay there for a second catching their breaths. 

“Wow, uncouth tart?” Stephen ventured.

“It was distracting, and I am tired,” Karl replied.

“I’m not complaining. It was just an interesting choice of words.”

“We need a shower,” Karl urged.

Stephen nodded even though Karl wasn't looking. He knew they must have reeked, and he needed to get on with the day, even though all he wanted to do was curl up with his lover.

Karl was already running the water when he managed to get out of the bed. Stephen joined him in the shower and gave him a quick kiss. He had to hurry as Zelma would be back from her errand shortly.  

“I don't think I can come here again this week,” Karl said quietly. 

“I can go there.”

“I don't think that is wise. You take up too much of my energy and focus. For now I need to make sure things will run, but hopefully it won't take long.” 

Stephen sighed. There was no use in trying to change his mind, and it would only be a week. 

“Well the quicker things are settled the better.” 

Karl nodded and gave him a quick kiss, probably grateful for the lack of argument.

\----

Stephen sat across from Thor, listening to the Asgardian’s story. It was disturbing and incomplete. After hearing stories from both Stark and Thor, he was able to get a better picture of what they were dealing with, although he needed more information to decide what to do about it. 

“Thank you, and if you have any more information, please inform me,” Stephen said as Zelma showed him out. 

When she came back, she sat across from him.

“So, any more appointments today?” She asked.

“Not that I'm aware of. I need some help finding some information on those stones though.”

“Right. Will do that. Just one question though. You don’t have to answer it, but where is the Baron? I haven't seen him in about two weeks now.”

It had been 10 days, but Zelma probably hadn't seen him in two weeks. He tried not to think about it too much, as he knew that it was no simple feat to start Kamar-Taj back up again. The waiting was testing his patience, but he knew he had to step back. It wasn’t like there was anything wrong, or he would have heard about it, he was the Sorcerer Supreme after all.

“He’s in Nepal and is busy with other duties.”

“Well, tell him ‘hi’ if you see him soon.”

Stephen tried to keep his mind and Zelma busy by looking for information about the Infinity Stones. With the depletion of their supply of books, it was going to be messy trying to find information, and it was probably impossible for him to actually track down the stones that were not on Earth. He made a mental note to go visit Wong, and to try to raid the library at Kamar-Taj without Karl thinking that he was trying to check up on him. 

Time passed quickly, and soon he was left alone once again as Zelma went home for the day. Before Karl had left to go to Kamar-Taj, he would go down to the kitchens, make some dinner and then come back to the study with food for Karl and him. They normally spent the evenings discussing things, or meditating, or just enjoying the silence together. Now that the house was empty, it was slightly creepy. He was glad for his cloak, which seemed to always bring him some comfort in the evening hours. It was odd how attached he had grown to the thing over the last few days, often stroking it as one would a cat. He had even taken to resting it on a chair in his room at night for the company in addition to a warning system.

He put his cloak down on the chair for the night when he got into bed. Once again, it was cold and empty. It was a hard feeling to get used to after having someone beside him for a few years. He missed Karl, even though it had only been 10 days.

It must have been about 2am when he suddenly was awoken. At first he thought it was his cloak, as sometimes it would wake him if he was having a bad dream. He turned over to see Karl climbing into the bed next to him, still fully clothed. 

“Go back to sleep.”

Stephen shook his head, and sat up on his elbows. Karl gave him a quick kiss before pushing him back down on the bed and wrapping himself around Stephen. 

“How are you here now?” Stephen asked. 

“I told Hamir I needed to attend to something, and that I would be back as soon as possible.”

“Something to attend to?”

“A very pressing matter.”

It was good to feel him and smell him after their time apart. He breathed a sigh of relief that he was okay, even if he was too busy to visit. He was sure that he would have heard differently if Karl was not okay, but he was still worried. Karl had a lot of pride, and would not ask for help easily.

“It’s not going well is it?”

“It is going, but it will take more time than I thought. Just be patient Stephen. It’s not forever.”

“But with the time difference it will be difficult. When I am sleeping, you’re awake. When I am awake, you will be sleeping.”

“Times will overlap, and if things continue to be this busy I will need to rest in the daytime, like today.”

Karl planted a kiss on his shoulder. 

“Now sleep,” Karl urged. 

With the added warmth from Karl’s body, he couldn't stay awake, even though he wanted to. 

Waking up alone was the hardest. It almost felt like it was a dream, but he knew Karl had been there. He had left a note, confirming that it wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t long, nor romantic, but it made him feel better about things. 

 

_ I will come more frequently. -Karl _

 

Soon though his mood soured. It seemed almost a daily occurrence now of having an Avenger pestering him. Sometimes they were the most annoying group known to him. Rand and his ragtag band of misfits were absolutely a delightful joy in comparison. He would take Jones’ sarcastic quips and glaring at him any day over another visit from another Avenger.

He was in his study with Captain Rogers, and they had been discussing what exactly was his role in the big picture. 

“I don't think you understand completely what is going on here.”

Stephen was trying to keep his temper in check. 

“You are an unknown factor. Will you show up if we need it? Will you be there? You're a lone wolf, and lone wolves are dangerous.”

He spoke in a manner devoid of of any malice, but the disapproval was evident. 

“We do things as a team,” Captain Rogers continued.

“I am not on your team. I am not going to be on your team. My role here is to protect the earth from mystical threats. This situation is one of these mystical threats. As the Sorcerer Supreme and the current keeper of the Eye of Agamotto, it is my duty to make sure that we do not lose our existence, nothing beyond that.”

They were talking in circles at this point, and Stephen could feel the irritation slipping more and more into his voice. He barely recognized when Karl entered the room unannounced.

“Listen Strange, we can’t have you running around being secretive about any plans. We need to coordinate and share information, but I think you’re holding back. When the time comes, and it will come, will you be responsible if things go wrong?”

Stephen felt his mouth open a little from surprise. 

“Did you not just hear him? He is responsible for a great many things as Sorcerer Supreme, and frankly if things go wrong, everything will cease to exist. You, me, Earth, time itself can be destroyed with someone wielding the stones. I think it’s time you take leave of this place. You are not welcomed here,” Karl snapped.

Stephen felt his blood boil at the situation. It was ridiculous. The Captain picked up his helmet and left the room, Karl's eyes followed him. 

“You have no idea what you have just done,” Stephen growled, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“What I have done? You were just letting him talk to you like that, like you serve him.”

Karl crossed his arms. 

Stephen couldn’t believe what had just transpired. Although he knew Karl was trying to help him, he didn’t need Karl’s help. Karl also didn’t fully understand the dynamics of the situation fully, as he had been absent for many of the discussions that had taken place in previous days. Captain Rogers concerns were actually valid on some level, as they probably came from a misunderstanding of the way Stark tended to relay information. He was absolutely flabbergasted, and hoped that he could sort out this situation.

“You have just made my life much harder. Now I have to fix what you have broken.”

”What I have broken? I have broken nothing. You are the Sorcerer Supreme, not an Avengers lackey, and you should act like it, not kowtowing to the whims of people who cannot begin to comprehend our lives.”

He hadn’t been this angry since his accident. Even when they argued, debated, fought over subjects before, it was not like this. He seethed at his partner. 

“We do not have the resources or authority to do anything like that. Do you think that I have the same skills and power as the Ancient One? Maybe she could have operated independently, but I have no such luxury. I need these people as much as they need me,” Stephen pleaded for his understanding.

“Then you are not qualified,” Karl snapped.

Silence fell over the study. He was able to take a lot, and was able to forgive a lot of things Karl would say in the heat of a moment, but he overstepped a line. It wasn’t the words so much, but the way he said it and with conviction. If Karl had seemed remorseful then Stephen would have had a bit more patience. However, his expression was cold and uncompromising.

“I think you should go back to Kamar-Taj.”

Karl turned and left in a huff. Stephen crumbled into his seat with a headache coming on. He stayed like that for a few seconds until he heard a quiet knock on the door. He got up to open the door, praying it was not the Captain or Karl. It was Zelma with a sandwich and a glass of water. Her eyes were wide, and she seemed meeker than normal. She must have heard them or seen Karl. He motioned for her to come in. She sat down across from him, putting the tray on the desk. She picked up the sandwich and started to eat it.

“Wasn’t that for me?” He asked.

“Oh, yea. I forgot. Sorry,” She said breaking off half for him. 

She handed him half of the sandwich, the sides squished with her fingerprints. She sighed as she chewed on her half.

“So, I saw that the Baron was here. I’m guessing he's a bit stressed these days?” She asked.

It was probably true, but their fight was just him being an asshole. 

“Are you okay?” She asked.

He put the sandwich down. He didn’t find it particularly appealing.

“I have many responsibilities Zelma. I have many things I need to balance. I think you know that. You’ve been here since before magic disappeared, you know what a struggle it’s been.”

He didn’t add that he was too weak, too ignorant, and too dependent on others to really do his job properly. It was probably the reason why Karl’s jab stung him so badly. It was true, and it had always been true. He didn’t know why he was chosen, as he was not the strongest, and not the most learned. Why had the Eye chosen him as opposed to Karl, or Wong, or even Hamir? He had no idea. 

The silence seemed to stretch on as she looked at him with pity in her eyes. Then she jumped a little in her seat.

“Well, the good news is I found a book!” She said, pulling out a tome from her bag. 

It was the book that he had been looking for over the last two weeks. 

“Where did you get that?” He asked.

“I may have found it between the cookbooks in the kitchen. I think Wong had put it there by accident before the Empirikul.” 

Stephen wasn’t surprised. When Wong was showing him the ropes, the house was in chaos. He had just been thrusted into so much responsibility, and Wong had helped him so much. 

“I thought this was destroyed.”

Zelma shrugged and gave him a forced smile. She reached over and took his half of the sandwich, starting to eat it.

“Do you want a new sandwich?” She asked between bites.

He shook his head. 

“If you want to go early today, you may.” 

\----

Stephen brought his hand to his face. He had some blood in his eye and occasionally could feel some in his nose. It was another side effect from the amount of magic he had used over the course of the last few days. He would have worried if there were other more serious side effects, but thankfully there were none. Although he didn’t have as severe reactions to using magic as he did before, he thought that the kinds of spells he had been using would have caused a bigger reaction.

When he managed to get back to the sanctum, he found Zelma glued to her cellphone in the study. She had put in a lot of work, and helped him in many ways. She jumped up and ran up to hug him when she saw him. He allowed her to embrace him for a moment, before pulling away. His vision was blurred.

“Can you get me something?” Stephen asked.

“Of course,” She replied. 

“In my room’s bathroom there is a small purple vial. Please bring that to me.” 

He would never be able to see the bottles. He sat down on the floor, breathing in and out. Physically he came out fairly unscathed compared to some of the others, but a sorrow hung over him. It felt like he had lost something in the process.

Zelma came back with the vial, and he dropped some of the liquid into his eyes, clearing them. He looked at his clothes, they had blood splatters on them, but none of it was his. 

“Are you okay?” Zelma asked.

“Fine, just tired and glad it's over.” 

“I saw some of the stuff on the Internet, but it wasn't like before. You couldn't see anything. I wouldn’t have even know about it if I wasn't here a few days ago.”

“Damage control. I did my part.” 

Stephen groaned and fell backwards. She rushed over to him, but there was no need, as he was just exhausted. It was still much better than when he was destroying artifacts with Karl. Karl, who he hadn't seen or heard from in a few weeks. It was painful to think about him. 

He actually started to feel nauseous, sat up, and managed to grab the waste basket before he got sick. When he was finished, Zelma was looking at him with worry. He looked in the basket and noticed the contents. It was definitely a magical reaction and not an emotional one, but he had never had that much of a delay after using magic before. It unsettled him. Something was off. Maybe it was because of the amount of magic, or the spells, or even the stability of magic. Things felt weaker after he had finished. 

“Can you get me the book downstairs in the kitchen with the green velvet cover?” 

She left to go get his copy the text for magical ailments and remedies. He was sure he would find something in there, as long as he could keep it together long enough. 

He reached for the basket again. Zelma soon returned with the book in her hand and one of the leftover flasks of the Luminiferous Painkiller that he kept on hand. She was a smart girl with good sense. While drinking the flask, he thumbed through the book. He skipped passed the parts labeled infections and infestations, landing on invocations. He tried to find the type of spell he had used to compare the normal reactionary symptoms with his own. 

“Can I get you something else?” She asked.

Her eyes were big with worry, and he just wanted to send her away. It was distracting him. He closed his eyes and once again they became blurred. Zelma let out a small scream.

“Your eyes are bleeding Doctor!” 

His head began to hurt. He didn’t understand why the painkiller wasn't working. It normally was instantaneous and a much stronger concoction than the stuff Wong used to give him. 

“Zelma, listen to me carefully. Go to the last door at the end of the hall. Inside the room there are three doors. Use the one on the left to find someone who can get me Wong. Tell him to come quickly,” Stephen said.

With the amount of pain he was feeling, he knew he didn't have much time left before he slipped into an unconscious state. The last image he saw, was Zelma bolting out of the room. 

When he woke up, he was in his room. It must have been the middle of the day, but no one was around. He groaned as he reached for the bin he kept under the side table, emptying whatever was still left inside of him. He felt feverish and in pain, and fell unconscious once again.

It was exactly like the times they had been hunting artifacts, only when he woke up Zelma was reading next to him. She looked tired. 

“I must have scared you,” Stephen croaked. 

“No. I mean, yea a little. You’ve never bled from your eyes before. That was a little scary, but the other stuff I've seen. Except the trash cans. That was absolutely disgusting. I better get paid extra for that.”

“You didn’t touch it did you?” He asked. 

He worried she may become contaminated with residual magic, unsafe to those who were not heavy magic users. She shook her head. 

“Where's Wong?” He asked. 

Something felt weird, and the way she looked at him after that question made him worry. He needed to talk to the man to tell him what kind of magic he used, in order to speed up the process. He still felt sicker than normal. 

“You said the left door,” She replied quietly.

Stephen didn't know what she was trying to get at. He closed his eyes. They hurt a lot, and although he could see clearly out of them, he knew that they were not healed completely. He heard the door open and shut.

“Any changes?”

It was Karl's voice. His heart seemed to stop for a moment. He continued to keep his eyes closed, listening to them talk. He was a little scared to open them and see Karl.

“He was awake and talking a minute ago.” 

“What did he say?”

“He asked if I touched the trash bins, and said that he must have scared me. He asked for Wong.”

“You didn’t tell him about me did you?”

“I told him that he told me the left door, but then he closed his eyes. He must have been confused at the time. I mean, I'm sure he’d love to see you, but…” 

She trailed off. 

“Best not to tell him if at all possible. We didn't part on the best of terms. I acted very poorly that day.”

There was a period of silence, and Zelma seemed to hesitate in speaking her mind with Karl. She never had such a problem with Stephen, but he had a feeling that she felt intimidated by his formalities. 

“You know you can just apologize. He misses you. He doesn't say it, but it's obvious.” 

“It isn’t that easy,” Karl protested.

“Sure it is. Just say ‘I’m sorry I was an asshole’. That would be a good start. I don't know why the two of you have to be so weird about expressing your feelings. It's like watching the Cold War being reenacted in real time.”

Zelma had a point, and he could tell Karl was mulling it over, as he didn't have some zippy retort. 

“I questioned his ability to perform his duties, because I didn't trust him enough to withstand the influence of others. I know now that I was wrong in that assessment. I don't always agree with the way he conducts himself, but I…” Karl trailed off for a moment, “I was fully in the wrong and living in the past, rather than the present. If I could do it over again...” 

Stephen felt the end of his bed dip. 

“Well what do you think Doc?” Zelma asked.

If he could have, he would have ran out the door. 

“I think you are basically evil Zelma Stanton, and I have battled with demons,” he replied. 

A lull fell over the room. He continued to keep his eyes shut, as they still hurt. 

“You should really not pretend to be sleeping when you are listening in on other people's conversations,” Karl grumbled.

He sighed.

“I’m sorry Stephen. I meant everything I said to Ms. Stanton. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my behavior,” he added.

Stephen paused to contemplate everything that had happened in the last ten minutes. Karl, a deeply private man, had unraveled his feeling for Stephen to Zelma without hesitancy. It was hard to draw that kind of soul bearing from him when they were both alone. ‘I love you’s were always said in just above a whisper, and almost always in darkened rooms. Most of the time they were said breathlessly in the heat of the moment. It was safe in those instances, unlike now. This would not be a safe environment in Karl’s mind, despite his obvious like and respect for Zelma. His past actions must have been something that tore at him.

They were fools, bumbling children when it came to the complexities of functioning as a pair. Between the two of them, neither one of them had lasted more than a few months in a relationship for various reasons. This was a big learning curve.

He felt the bed shift, as Karl must have stood up. 

“Don’t go. I don't want you to go.”

“I will come back,” Karl replied.

Stephen heard the door click shut, and he sighed. 

“That was an interesting development,” Zelma said.

Stephen nodded. It was enlightening to say the least. 

“How long was I out this time?” Stephen asked, changing the topic.

“Two days? Tony Stark stopped by, I told him you were busy with sorcery things. The Baron has been visiting frequently, and I haven't gone home yet. I think I will soon, now that you're awake. Can I get you anything?” She asked.

“Water and another one of those purple vials in my medicine cabinet.”

He heard her rummage around for them, and when she came back she gave him the vial in his hands directly. He dropped some of the liquid into his eyes, the pain dispersed almost immediately. He picked up the glass of water and took a sip.

“Hopefully it will stay down,” Stephen remarked.

She looked at him with concern in her eyes.

“I will be fine. You should go home Zelma. Aren't your parent's worried?”

“They only worry if I don’t answer my texts. Although I'm sure they would change their minds if they ever met you,” she said grinning. 

She stayed a little longer, and he gave her some instructions on what to do when she returned. He was thankful for everything she had done. 

When Karl returned, he was awake, watching him as he came and sat down. Karl looked incredibly tired and his brow furrowed in what only could have been worry. It felt a little distressing to have the buffer of Zelma gone, as they would have to talk about their issues. Something both of them were not good at. 

“I meant what I said earlier. I am sorry for my behavior.”

“I know. I know you regret it. I should have reached out after that, but with everything around here and with Kamar-Taj, I just let it be.”

In reality he had thought Karl was so disgusted by his actions as Sorcerer Supreme that the man just outright rejected him, especially since he didn’t make any attempts to contact Stephen afterwards. It was normally how some of his longer relationships had ended. He thought if he tried to reach out, it would have been like the attempts he made at emailing Christine at Kamar-Taj. 

“I don't want to fight like this again,” Stephen confessed.

He really meant to say ‘I don’t want to lose you.’

“It’s inevitable. We have fought many times before, and we will fight again,” Karl responded.

“Yea, but before it wasn’t like this time.”

“Because we were forced to work together, and you couldn’t send me away.”

“Oh.”

Stephen had forgotten that he had told Karl to leave. He had only thought about his feelings. In Karl’s mind he had sent him away. Although Stephen did tell him to go, he wasn’t out right rejecting the man.

“I don't want you to go forever. I just needed my space that day,” Stephen said quietly.

Karl got up from his seat, crawled over Stephen and wrapped himself around him. He sighed deeply.

“I love you, and I missed you,” Karl said. 

“I love you, too. Don't go, stay the night.”

Karl nodded against him, his arm resting on Stephen’s abdomen. They didn’t speak another word that evening, emotions still raw and at the surface. 

When Stephen woke up, he was surprised that Karl was still there sleeping soundly. He had fallen asleep, fully clothed, his leg intertwining with Stephen’s bare one. The sounds of his deep breathing soothed Stephen. It was the first time he had slept soundly since Karl had left for Kamar-Taj. It looked like Karl also didn’t sleep much either, lines forming under his eyes where there used to be none. Stephen brought his hand to caress the man’s cheek. He looked peaceful. 

Karl slept until there was a knock on the door, and Zelma let herself in. Karl quickly got out of the bed, straightening himself out, and avoided making eye contact with her.

“Er, sorry. How are you feeling Doc? Better?” Zelma asked.

He nodded.

“Tony Stark came by, he said he would come back around 3. If you want I can send him away again,” She said.

“No, that's okay. I will see him.”

She closed the door again and Karl looked at him. It was a new day, and he needed to get back to business. Stephen sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stopped. His whole entire body ached, and he took a moment to sit, mustering the energy to go on. If only the rest of his clothes were sentient like his cloak. Then again he didn’t need it, as Karl was gathering his things for him, and slowly started to dress him. Everything felt physically irritating. Even though Karl was being delicate and chose some of the more loosely fitting clothes in his wardrobe, he just wanted them off his body. He wanted to go back to bed, but he had too many things to do. When Karl had finished dressing him, it felt like a victory.

“Don’t push yourself. You’re no good to anyone if you’re dead,” Karl scolded.

Karl was obviously concerned. Stephen gave a small laugh. He had missed this. Pursuing his lips, he waited for his lover to give him a kiss. Karl obliged nicely. 

“Why does my body react like this? I don't remember the Ancient One ever having so much trouble,” Stephen asked.

“Because later in life she never had to resort to the kind of magic you use. Earth was fairly peaceful until her death, with only small disturbances occasionally arising. However, there were times before you came to Kamar-Taj where she was unconscious for much longer than you after using some magic. Unlike you, she never killed herself, but then again she always had an ample supply of magic at her disposal. Although this time you did not use magic of considerable power, you used too much over a long period of time, which is the same thing to your body.”

Karl planted a kiss on his forehead. Stephen leaned forward and rested his head on Karl’s chest. It felt good, as he was warm and smelled of Kamar-Taj. It had been so long since he remembered their time together there. Karl brought up his hands to run them through Stephen’s hair, and Stephen's arms snaked around his waist. He sighed. His body hurt, but his heart was once again content, and he didn’t want this moment to end. It was like it was before, just the two of them. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get complicated at the Sanctum with the expected arrival of a baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again taking elements from both the MCU and the comic. :B 
> 
> _Mi-a fost dor de tine_ = I missed you.

The air was tense in the kitchen as they sat around the communal table. Rand had neglected to give him the full details of the situation, making the conversation even more awkward. He only said that they needed a place to lay low for a while as they sorted out some legal troubles. He knew that they needed help, and he wouldn't have turned them away, but it would have been nice to know that he would most likely be expected to birth a baby. Barring any complications, it would be a piece of cake, but it was still not something he had done in a very, very long time. If there were complications, then it would become a whole different ball game.  

“So… You’re 36 weeks?” Stephen asked one more time.

“If it's going to be a problem…” Cage began.

“No, I mean, it just would have been nice to know before now.”

“Are you really a Doctor?” Jones asked sarcastically. 

He glared at Jones. 

“Google me.” 

Stephen was flabbergasted when she actually did. Most people just believed him. 

“Says here you were a neurosurgeon. Are you sure you can actually birth a baby?” She asked.

Stephen started to count backwards in his head, trying to keep his cool. 

“Unless there are complications, anyone can birth a baby with very little instruction.” 

She looked at him, and Cage gave him an apologetic smile. They sat in silence for a few minutes, as she seemed to consider this. 

“Jessica, we have Claire as well,” Cage reminded her. 

Cage had told him about their nurse friend’s offer to stay during the birth. He wouldn't need to do much, and if anything did happen, he had his connections. 

“Thank you again for taking us in,” Cage said.

Jones continued to stare at him, her hands resting on her stomach. It was going to be a long wait for him, and he slightly regretted not sending them somewhere else. Knowing Rand, he had specifically asked him for two reasons. The first one was that he owed Rand, and the second was that he was a doctor. 

The next problem he had to tackle was telling Karl. Karl, who seemed to become hostile to anyone who was unfamiliar and uninvolved in their world. Of all the people who had come through the doors of the sanctum, he had only taken a liking to three: Zelma, Rand, and Wanda. Stephen had no idea how Karl would react to knowing that they would be having long term house guests. Although there was plenty of space, he knew that his partner would have difficulties accepting them. 

He looked at his watch, and noticed that Karl would be awake shortly. He debated on how and when to tell him, deciding the earlier the better. Excusing himself, he made his way up the stairs and to his rooms. Karl had taken to sleeping in the Sanctum quite frequently during the winter months, as he actually like the cold, and it was much colder in New York than in Nepal. 

Stephen found him curled up with all the blankets on the bed. He often had to ‘unwrap’ his partner in the evenings to say good morning. Finding the man’s face in the tangles was an interesting exercise. He sat at the side of the bed looking for the beginnings of the mess.

When he did manage to untangle him, he pressed his hand against Karl's back, the warm skin exposed to the cold air. 

_ “Mi-a fost dor de tine" ** _

Stephen had no idea what he was saying or what he was dreaming. He didn't look distressed, and soon he began to wake. Stretching out, Karl slowly opened his eyes. The room was dark from the heavy drapes, and the early sunset of winter. Only the light from desk allowed them to see one another.

“Go back. I don’t want to wake,” he grumbled, wrapping himself up again.

“We need to talk before you go.”

Karl sighed, raising an eyebrow. He didn’t like when Stephen said those kinds of things, but it was better than Karl walking through the halls to find Cage and Jones just randomly in the Sanctum. 

“No.”

Karl wrapped himself around Stephen, his legs sprawling over Stephen’s lap, and his torso curled around Stephen. 

“Yes. It's important for you to know, because you don’t like surprises. We both know you will be pissed at me if I don’t tell you what I need to. So it's your choice.”

“Fine. What is it?” 

“Danny asked if I could take in some of his friends for a while, so they will be staying here. Yes, I know this is not hotel, but if you remember we owe Rand for all those times he helped us.”

Stephen waited for his reaction, debating whether or not to talk about Jones’ condition.

“Fine. As long as they do not disturb you, and you keep them in the empty part of the house.”

It wasn't really up to Karl, but he knew that he had to consider his wishes. With their positions and their relationship it was a tricky balance to find, and it had been since day one. Karl was his partner, but at the same time Karl had very little say in how he ran the Sanctum, as he was in Kamar-Taj. At times there was also an undiscussed tension between them, as they both knew that the student had surpassed the teacher in many aspects. This included some areas of mystical practice. Karl still had a lot more knowledge of obscure practices, but he had less field work than Stephen did at this point. It was tricky, and these days they spent less time talking about their work, and preferred to discuss theory, now that Stephen actually had caught up with him on his theoretical understanding of magic.

Karl stretched out, fully waking up. Stephen watched him as he sprawled out on the bed, his figure tensing and relaxing with each stretch. His form was well defined and Stephen couldn’t help but stare. Stephen quickly calculated how much time they possibly had before Karl was expected for lessons. Karl notice his focused expression, and seemed to have similar ideas, his hand wrapping in Stephen’s belt. It didn’t take much effort for the man to pull Stephen close. It seemed to be a technique he had learned from when he had spent some time training with martial arts masters in his youth. If Stephen had to guess, it was a move from his time learning Judo, as he always seemed to know the exact point of leverage and the force he needed to use.

Since they never were doing things together outside of the Sanctum, it was sometimes easy to forget that Karl still could easily best him in any physical activity. Karl also had gained a lot of his former strength back since returning to Kamar-Taj. It was not an easy feat as one’s body aged, but Karl liked to defy expectations, and Stephen was not going to complain.

Karl smiled wickedly, as he though he were planning something, his mouth crushing against Stephen’s.

“You always wear too many clothes these days,” Karl murmured. 

“It’s winter here. It gets cold.”

“No excuse.”

It was cold. It had been snowing the other day, and it wasn’t as if the house was built in recent years. The drafts were killer, but he couldn’t think about that as Karl opened his clothes piece by piece, and continued to kiss him. The cold air hitting his flesh didn't register as Karl's hands meandered across his abdomen and over his chest. Stephen groaned as Karl brought one hand down to grasp his erection. He thrusted against Karl's hand. 

“I want you to take me from behind.”

Stephen whimpered at the request. He was always game for anything, but Karl tended to be so much more reserved, especially if he were on the receiving end of things. 

He pulled away, and started to take off his opened clothes, but Karl stopped him. Karl rolled over, and looked over his shoulder at Stephen. 

Stephen’s chest tightened in anticipation, and his eyes roamed over his partner's exquisite frame. His hands followed the route his eyes had taken, eventually coming to rest at Karl's hip. He straddled Karl’s legs and kissed at his skin, starting with his shoulders and finishing at the small of his back. It was hard to focus, and he fumbled with trying to find the lubricant in the side table drawer. It took a lot longer than it should have, his mind preoccupied with anticipation.

Propping himself up on his knees, Karl looked at Stephen expectantly. One of Stephen's hands wrapped around the man’s cock, while the other started to prepare him. Karl moaned nicely, a little less reserved than when they were face-to-face. His hips began to meet Stephen’s fingers, and he established a good pace, making sure that he was taking his time, but also furthering their goal. Stephen adjusted his clothes so that enough flesh was exposed, his belt, loosely hanging by his trousers. As he gently pushed into Karl, he knew from first hand experience that the friction of the material must have felt wondrous with all the other sensations.

Karl groaned as Stephen pressed all the way into him, his body folding over Karl's. He pulled back, and angled himself better before pushing in again. He took it slowly, just like Karl liked it, producing soft moans from the man. Karl urged him to pick up the pace with his hips, pushing back to meet Stephen with some force. He obliged, and soon they were both getting close. 

“Te iubesc. Ștefan…”

Stephen knew that one. It was ‘I love you.’ He gave one more thrust before coming inside his partner, his love. After a few moments, he pulled out, and nudged Karl to turn over. Stephen took him in his mouth, his tongue quickly going to work, pulling Karl's orgasm from him. Karl gripped his hair as he pushed Stephen’s head down. It was not entirely unexpected, and it was very much welcomed. He enjoyed these rare moments where Karl’s self control slipped just a little. 

When they were finished, they shared a kiss. Karl tasted himself on Stephen’s tongue. He groaned, as their kiss became sloppy from exhaustion. 

Stephen must have looked like a crazy man. He could feel that his hair was as much of a mess as his clothes were, and internally his heart pounded from desire and physical exertion. Karl somehow seemed to be fully awake, despite all their activities, as he made to get ready for a new day at Kamar-Taj. Stephen knew he also had to go and attend to their guest later, but opted to climb under the covers first. The bed was warm and comfortable. He would also need to shower, but he needed a minute or two to recover.

Those few minutes turned into about fifteen, as Karl had finished his shower and had almost finished dressing. Stephen tucked himself back into his pants, but didn't bother with the rest. He came behind Karl and wrapped his arms around him. 

“You smell like sex. Go shower,” Karl chided.

“I will. You always smell like Kamar-Taj now. I just want to smell you as much as I can. It reminds me of those moments we had together, when I was ignorant and everything was so new.”

“I don't see any change in that,” Karl said smirking. 

Stephen buried his head in Karl’s shoulder. 

“I have to go,” Karl said looking at his watch. 

Stephen kissed him goodbye and took a shower. He had to try and play good host, making sure that Cage and Jones were settled, that they could find what they were looking for, and did not touch anything that may potentially harm them.

He was just glad that Karl seemed to accept their new temporary housemates without too much trouble, or so he thought until reality came crashing down on them the next morning.

Stephen had slept soundly the night before, as the day's activities had thoroughly exhausted him. When he came down for coffee in the morning, he found himself in the middle of a very awkward atmosphere with Karl, Jones, and Cage. Karl and Jones looked pretty upset at Stephen as he walked in, and Cage avoided eye contact with him. Karl had that expression he normally had right before he chose the sharpest words he could think of. It was going to be a long breakfast. 

“Ms. Jones here was telling me that you had planned to deliver her baby, if they are still in hiding at the time it happens?” Karl asked.

“It’s not like it’s hard. Besides, they have a nurse friend, who will be doing most of the monitoring.”

“Are you insane Stephen?” 

“It’s not insane. I am a certified doctor. I have assisted in birthing babies before. It’s not brain surgery for god sakes.”

“Stephen, listen to reason. You have not been a doctor in years, and what if there are complications? The parents are obviously physiologically different. How can you know that this would be just like any other case?” 

“This always happens. You always second guess my abilities or my judgement when something is just not normally done. I am more than capable, and if there are complications, I know other doctors who can help.” 

Stephen couldn’t keep his temper in check on this issue, and Karl looked extremely irritated that Stephen wasn’t just going to roll over and accept his opinion. 

“All right boys, if you’re finished with your pissing contest, I have something to say,” Jones said standing up.

She had a fierceness about her that would intimidate anyone who had half a brain. They looked at her in silence.

“I am the patient. I am the one birthing a small watermelon. Although all of you men are trying your best to make decisions for me, it’s my body, and I am going to make my own god damn decisions. I want a different doctor, because you’re just too weird. If I’m going to have this baby I want to be comfortable, even if I have to do it here in this odd place.”

Cage pour himself more coffee, smiling to himself. Stephen and Karl looked at each other in surprised, and both of them looked slightly ashamed as they had never thought to ask Jones directly about her thoughts on it. It had just been assumed, and implied since the couple had come to the sanctum that Stephen would help them. Given their brief and rocky history though, he could understand why Jones would prefer someone else. 

“Well Ms Jones. Do you have a doctor in mind, or a preference for the kind of doctor? I’m afraid I don’t know any OBGYN’s, but I know a good trauma surgeon.”

It would be unconventional, but he figured they didn’t really have much choice if they wanted someone who would help them on the sly. Their legal woes were quite difficult to skirt around without drawing attention from the authorities.

“Is the doctor still practicing?” Cage asked.

“Yes, as far as I know.”

They seemed satisfied with that, and he made a mental note to give Christine a call in the day time. Although it may take some work to convince her, he was sure that she would help.

He looked at Karl, who was leaning on the counter with his arms crossed, his expression tired and still slightly irritated from their exchange. Jones and Cage were looking at them looking at each other.

“And I thought we had problems,” Cage said into his coffee. 

Jones elbowed him, knocking some of the liquid out of the cup. Karl left the kitchen without a word, and Stephen sighed pouring his tea. Jones also excused herself soon after.

“I should apologize for my earlier insensitivity. The way Danny had talked about it, I assumed that he chose the Sanctum because you needed a discreet doctor.” 

“Well, we did. We don’t want to create too much of an inconvenience, but it would be a little awkward. Plus I’m sure Jessica is already on edge because we’ve had to abandon our lives.”

He sighed. The whole situation must have been stressful for the pair. Whatever inconveniences Karl and him had, they were nothing in comparison. He couldn’t imagine having to flee a place with a baby on the way. 

He looked up to see Karl re-enter the room. He went about fixing some food. Cage thankfully was pretty quick on the uptake and quietly exited the room. After pouring some tea for the other man, Stephen sat down at the table, and waited for him to finish. It was uncomfortable and he could see the stress in his partner's shoulders. 

“You are no longer a doctor. I understand that you don’t want to give up your title, but you spend so much time trying to fix everything, and it will eventually kill you. Sometimes, you can’t fix things. You can’t save people.”

Stephen shook his head. Their problems were never about the actual problem. It was always about something else, something deeper.

“I know more than anyone about that, but Karl this was just about a baby, not saving lives, or saving magic, or me trying to fix things. It’s about what I can do and what I can’t do. I could help them if they wanted, but you think that this is about my ego.”

“Isn’t it? Isn’t it always about your ego?” Karl asked quietly.

There wasn’t any malice in his voice, just pure concern. It reminded him of the Ancient One. Although the words were different, the tone and the messages were similar. He sighed, because they weren’t seeing him. They were seeing him as he first came to Kamar-Taj. 

“It’s about Jessica Jones, who can’t go to a hospital, and can’t hire a midwife. Just because I can draw from my history doesn’t mean I want to go back to that time. I am the Sorcerer Supreme. Have I ever made you think that I was not dedicated to my position? I know you’ve lacked confidence in my ability, but have you ever doubted my dedication?” Stephen asked.

It seemed to click in Karl, his fears and reality were very different beasts. Stephen was not the man he once was in so many different ways. He had truly managed to change many of his spots. Although many of his flaws did remain, and he knew that, he wasn’t the same man. Karl knew that, even if he occasionally forgot.

“No, I know you have sacrificed many things to be where you are today.” 

Karl sat across from him with his meal. Stephen felt tired from their conversation, and the day was just beginning for him. Soon Zelma would be coming, and he would have to continue his work on researching and recovering spells. 

He stood up, walked over to Karl and kissed the man on the forehead. Even if they day started out stressful, he had to remember that he was surrounded by people who just wanted him to do well. 

\----

It took a few hours of negotiation, but eventually he was able to get Christine to agree to come when the baby was born. Unlike before, she wasn’t going to do it out of the good of her heart, but Stephen felt the bribe was well worth it. Unfortunately he didn’t know how he was going to convince Rand or Stark to throw a gala to fund her project.

He sat in his study, pondering his predicament, until Zelma interrupted him.

“So uh, Jessica told me that their nurse friend is coming today. She said that your doctor friend will be coming too?” Zelma asked.

He looked at her. He had forgotten to tell her that today was the day they were all going to meet to talk about preparations for the baby. He groaned also remembering it was Friday, and Karl would be at the Sanctum all weekend. 

“My god,” He whispered.

“What? What’s wrong?” Zelma asked.

“This is terrible. I can’t believe I forgot. Oh shit. I’m in trouble,” Stephen said.

“What? What’s wrong Doctor?”

“I forgot to warn Karl,” he said, looking at Zelma.

Although he didn’t really want to air his dirty laundry, Zelma already knew too much anyways. 

“Is he in danger? Is there someone after him?” Zelma asked, her voice was full of concern.

“The doctor coming today is my ex-girlfriend.”

“You dated women?” She asked, tilting her head. 

He stared at her in an unfriendly way. It wasn’t glaring, but close enough. She was missing the point. 

“Well, I'm sure it will be fine,” Zelma reassured him.

“Do you remember when he had that argument with Captain America?” Stephen asked.

“That was totally different. I’m sure it will be fine.”

If she was sure it was so fine, why did she look nervous? It wasn’t like Karl was the friendliest, and although Christine was fairly sociable, she would give back as much as she got. He was sure that they wouldn't fight about him, but he wasn't positive that they would get along either. The two of them were very different people.

When she did come, he tried to hide all of them away, avoiding all the areas Karl liked to inhabit. Granted Karl would be sleeping for most of the time, but Stephen wasn’t going to risk it. Thankfully the Sanctum contained many rooms that suited many different purposes, so when they were finished with their meeting, Stephen was relieved that Karl hadn’t been there. Especially when it came out that he had quite the reputation at the hospital, with Claire Temple asking if the rumors about him were true. It was one of the most uncomfortable meetings he ever had, including that time he to explain to the principal at his high school how he came to be nude in the janitor's closet. 

He had been successful in his plan up until Zelma offered them coffee or tea in his library. Stephen once told Zelma she was evil, but now he was really starting to believe it. Sure enough the fates had decided to frown upon him that day, and Karl was sitting in the library when they entered. He had out some book about the micro-dimension and stood up when the group had entered. Cage, Jones, Temple, and Zelma sat off to one corner making small talk. Zelma had taken a lot of interest in Jones and her future baby over the past few days.

“I didn’t know we had company,” He remarked.

“Sorry, I forgot to mention it. It’s for Ms.Jones’ birthing plan,” He replied.

“Ah, I’m glad you found qualified individuals.”

“I am qualified,” Stephen began to protest.

He made a face of disbelief, but said nothing. Christine laughed.

“He is actually qualified. I’ve seen him do it before, but I understand that his bedside manner needs some work.”

“Are you the doctor?” Karl asked politely.

“Christine Palmer,” She said sticking out her hand.

Stephen held his breath. Karl seemed to recognize the name. He looked at Stephen before smiling at Christine politely.

“Karl Mordo,” He said taking her hand.

“So are you a coworker of Stephen's?” She asked.

“In a sense.”

He didn’t know what to say or if he should say anything at all. It was a gamble, as Karl always seemed to play by different rules than he did, but those rules were always so inflexible. 

“He’s my partner,” Stephen ventured.

“Oh, so your cult assigned you a buddy to make sure you don’t kill yourself on accident?” Christine laughed.

Karl laughed with her. His eyes actually sparkled with humor. She totally misunderstood his meaning, and Karl looked like he was really enjoying this. 

“No, I mean, he and I are together,” Stephen corrected.

“Oh.”

She looked a little surprised by this, but not shocked, and she didn’t seem upset. He looked at Karl who also looked surprised, but not upset either. So far things were going okay, even though it felt odd, as she was the first person he actually had directly told that they were partners, a couple, romantically linked. Most of the others had figured it out pretty easily, so he had never said it aloud before. He didn’t know why his heart was racing so badly. It felt almost as nerve wracking as when he had figured out that he wanted Karl in the first place. 

“Well I’m happy for you!” Christine said giving him a hug.

She turned to Karl.

“And I feel sorry for you. It’s not an easy task taking care of this one,” She said shaking her head.

Karl was actually smiling from ear to ear, and while Stephen felt a little insulted, he stayed silent.

“Well I find it’s much easier if you feed him three times a day and pretend to listen to his ramblings. If you occasionally pet his ego, he normally cooperates,” Karl joked.

“Only occasionally? You’ve grown soft in your old age Stephen,” She retorted.

“Ha ha ha. Don’t you have some lost cases to go save?” Stephen asked.

“Cleared my calendar just for you. Besides, it’s good to finally meet someone else who truly understands how hard it is to be with you. How long have you been together?” She asked.

“A little over two years?” Stephen asked Karl.

Karl shrugged, and Christine shook her head. 

“My god. Doesn’t he just drive you up the wall sometimes?” She asked him.

“Sometimes?”

Stephen was irritated now. They were having a laugh at his expense, and he didn’t like it. He had been afraid that they would not get along, or that Karl would be the jealous boyfriend type, but no, he was the one suffering. It was the worst thing to happen to him since Karl and him had that big fight. It was worse than vomiting up magical residue and bleeding out of his eyes. 

They continued to chat and laugh. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Zelma. She looked at him and then winked. She actually had the audacity to wink at him. Stephen decided then and there, she was pure evil. 

When they had finished for the night, and their guests had gone, Karl and him went up to their room. Stephen felt like he had just survived another battle. His body and mind was exhausted. Karl on the other hand was fully awake and more cheerful than he had been in the past few weeks. Stephen laid in the bed, reviewing a what had transpired in the day. 

“Your ex-girlfriend is funny,” Karl said.

He groaned in frustration.

“I thought that you might have a problem with her, but instead you guys are best friends now,” He grumbled.

“That is absurd. Why would I have a problem with her. She is courteous and an obviously an intelligent individual with good social skills.”

“You freaked out on the Avengers when they were just giving me information. Then there was the time you spent weeks arguing with Doctor Voodoo. How am I supposed to know who you’ll like or not like?”

“I only object to those who interfere with your decision making and duties as a Sorcerer Supreme.”

Karl sat next to him, stroking the hairs at his temple. 

“If she was really terrible, I would hate her. I can tell that you still like her as a person, too. You do seem to have a type.”

He raised an eyebrow. Karl and Christine were very different in his mind. When he thought of the two of them, it was like thinking about the moon and the sun. Both of them had their charms, but they were nothing alike. 

“You like headstrong, opinionated, clever people who won’t give into your childish tendencies. It’s also why it’s so difficult to love you, because you are the same. Except for the fact that you are childish, and we are not.”

“You are too,” Stephen protested.

“We are not,” Karl said firmly.

Stephen laughed. He was perhaps right about that. They tended to have more similarities than differences, but he knew Karl was the only one for him. Although he enjoyed Christine's company at one time, their relationship had just been too difficult. Karl and his relationship had also been difficult, but it was worth it. Maybe it worked, because there were so few that could understand this journey they had taken.

He didn’t know why, but at this moment he didn’t care to understand why. He just accepted it. 

Karl continued to stroke his hair, eventually curling up next to him. They laid together for a while, not saying anything or doing anything, until Karl rolled on top of him, his nose pressed against Stephen's. He looked more serious than before.

“You know that you are mine. That’s why I don’t care about your ex, or your exes. Every part of you belongs to me,” Karl growled. 

He had no idea where that came from, as Karl had never said anything like that before. He swallowed hard, as he was so turned on by his behavior, and he could feel that Karl was turned on as well. He moaned as Karl pressed into him, and brought his hand up to remove Stephen’s clothes. 

“Yes, I belong to you. Everything,” Stephen replied.

“Your heart, your mind, your body. I know that you’ve never given all three to anyone else. Maybe you gave Christine your body and heart at one time, but never your mind.”

He wasn’t sure that he ever gave her his heart, not like how Karl had his anyways. 

He whimpered as Karl unfurled his skin from its confines, as if it were a present. The cold air was blocked by Karl's body, and he slowly reached up to undress his lover. Karl pressed his lips against Stephen’s, and Stephen greedily deepened the kiss.

“You’re mine too,” Stephen murmured when they broke apart. 

Karl nodded, his eyes watching his hands run over Stephen’s skin, down to his pants. Stephen mimicked the movements, and soon they both were naked. Karl had already thought about what he was going to do next, as Stephen felt a slick finger at his entrance. He moved up and tilted his hips a little to provide a better angle. As they kissed, he felt Karl taking his time stretching him. He whimpered when Karl had withdrawn his fingers. They looked at one another, Karl’s expression more serious than normal. Stephen moaned as he felt Karl enter him. It had been longer than he had liked. Karl rested for a minute.

“Have you ever read about mystical unions?” Karl asked, his voice huskier than normal.

Stephen felt his heart beating a little faster than normal. 

“Are you proposing to join in a mystical union?” Stephen asked.

“Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know. Not now, but eventually.”

Karl wasn’t looking at him anymore, his eyes were closed, as if he were afraid of Stephen’s reaction. He started to move slowly. 

“Oh god, yes. Not yet, but sometime. I love you. Why wouldn’t I want to tie myself with you?”

Karl wrapped his hand around Stephen’s erection, and matching the pace he was setting. He kissed Stephen. It was emotional, raw, and honest. He knew that they felt deeply for one another, but he had no idea Karl’s feelings went this deep. 

“I love you. I loved you from the moment I saw you. I just had no idea until much later,” Karl confessed.

Stephen came right after he said this, and Karl quickly followed suit. They laid in a tangled mess for awhile.

“Did you mean what you said?” Karl asked.

“Do you think my brain works well enough to lie when you're doing that? You overestimate my abilities,” Stephen joked.

Karl wrapped them in a blanket, pulling Stephen closer to him. He kissed Stephen on his forehead. 

\------

He honestly had to ask Zelma for books on mystic unions, although he made up some half-lie about them being contractual agreements between sorcerers and nothing like civil unions when she pressed him for more details. He wasn’t sure what it entailed, but he had a good idea that they were a bit heavier than civil unions or marriage. When magic was involved, everything had higher stakes. 

She had been looking for the books for a few days, and it seemed that those kinds of books were not to be found in the New York Sanctum. He pondered how to raid the library at Kamar-Taj without alerting Karl. Although he was the Sorcerer Supreme, the new librarian seemed to be in tight with Karl, and would report who took out what books. He had learned that the hard way when when he took out a book on sex magic out of pure curiosity. It wasn't like he was going to use it, but boy did he get an earful from Karl that night. 

While he contemplated the best way to obtain risqué books, Cage came in to tell them that Jones was going to have her baby. It was going to be busy day or two. Thankfully Rand had come a few days earlier with equipment they may need. Although he had been banned from delivering the kid, he wasn’t going to sit idly by. It was thrilling to think that medicine would be practiced in the place that he lived, albeit no one would be cut into hopefully.

Cage volunteered to call Temple and he called Christine to alert her that things were happening. Temple would monitor her progress, and then Stephen would call when the time was nearing. 

He tried to seclude himself and stay out of the way while he left Jones' medical team and her husband to it. He also didn’t want to upset Jones, as her super strength was a little intimidating, along with her choice words when she was annoyed. It was hard. He didn’t know why he was so excited. It wasn’t like it was his kid, and he didn’t even like kids.

Time passed slowly. He tried everything, meditating, reading, and he even contemplated paying Tony Stark a visit to nag him about that charity diner Christine wanted. It was hard to wait, and Zelma was not helping with her own energetic nervousness.

“My brother had another baby last year. The ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my whole entire life, even uglier than the first one. You don’t think they will have an ugly baby do you? I mean they’re both pretty good looking, so at least the kid will probably be not ugly?” Zelma rambled.

“Genetics are a lottery, but it will probably look like a baby.”

Zelma rolled her eyes at him.

“Can you get pregnant with magic? What if you and the Baron could have babies? I think that would be an ugly baby, especially with your brow and high cheek bones. No offense.” 

He put his head in his hands. He wasn’t going to justify that question or idea with a response as it was insanely absurd.

“You do realize that saying no offense doesn’t not absolve you from the responsibility of owning your words.”

“Not going to take it back.”

“Sometimes I don’t know why I keep you around.”

“Loneliness? And because I’m adorable.”

She had a point, even if it wasn’t the main point. Her company did help him, especially when he needed someone else there to calm his thoughts. Then when she left, Karl often woke. It was a good routine for him, and even after the initial difficulties in getting used to the situation, he eventual found that this was better for their relationship. He was also afforded with enough time to himself, where he could effectively clear his mind and meditate. After he usually went to bed, and although he didn’t like waking up alone, he and Karl managed to have some time together in the kitchen before the day started. It was satisfying.

The next morning after Jones went into labor, he came down the stairs to find Karl and Christine drinking coffee in the kitchen. They had been chatting about something amusing, but fell quiet when he entered the room. He got the hint, they were making fun of him again. Christine smiled into her mug. Karl avoided looking at him.

“It seems that Ms. Jones has a baby girl now,” Karl ventured.

Stephen nodded, feeling a little pleased with himself that he managed to arrange for her care. He wouldn’t say anything, or he was sure to get an earful from all parties present and even those not present. 

Nurse Temple soon joined them and updated them on the condition of the baby and family. Karl offered her some tea and breakfast. It was refreshing to see the man so relaxed around other people aside from him and Zelma. It was good to have these moments in their busy lives. He made a mental note to arrange for more social gatherings in the future. 

He sat down in the chair next to Christine, and she leaned over.

“He’s really something special. Don’t let him go,” Christine whispered. 

He nodded. His partner was truly someone special. He felt very lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The views of Zelma are hers and hers alone, I do not condone labeling babies as ugly, even when they are.

**Author's Note:**

> Will add more if I write more.


End file.
